This invention relates to the art of ink jet cartridges and, more particularly, to preparing a used ink jet cartridge for renovation to promote the extended life and reuse thereof.
It is known that the life of an ink jet cartridge can be extended beyond the time it takes to deplete the cartridge of its initial supply of ink. For example, refill kits are provided for replenishing a cartridge's ink supply, and continuous refill systems have been developed for providing a continuous flow of ink to a cartridge from a remotely located ink supply bag or the like. In connection with extending the life of a cartridge, the latter needs to be periodically cleaned or renovated to avoid the buildup of dried ink inside the cartridge and in areas such as the nozzle plate where the buildup can preclude or seriously impair quality printing. The renovating or cleaning process includes soaking the cartridge in a cleaning solution and then flushing the cartridge to force the cleaning fluid through the nozzles or jets in the nozzle plate. Further, a vacuum is pulled across the nozzle jets in the nozzle plate and the internal pressure and/or the vacuum create a force on the nozzle plate tending to lift it from the snout portion of the cartridge to which it is initially bonded during the manufacture of the cartridge. Still further, a centrifuge process is used to remove the cleaning fluid inside the cartridge by expulsion thereof through the nozzle jets, and this centrifugal force will also lift the nozzle plate from its attachment to the cartridge. If the cartridge is then refilled with ink and placed back into service, the loose nozzle plate can result in poor print quality, such as fuzzy print, and can result in cross-contamination of colors in a color printing cartridge. Furthermore, if a cartridge being renovated already has a loose nozzle plate, the renovating or remanufacturing process tends to further loosen or remove the plate. In any event, loose nozzle plates cause a considerable loss in the yield of reusable cartridges in connection with a renovating or remanufacturing process.